I just posted this but it didn’t go through… let’s try again…
I was reading about kidney stones and a few questions came up…
How painful is it? Is the pain constant?
Does the doctor diagnose a stone with tests such as x-rays or is it just accepted through symptoms?
Is anyone any age prone to get kidney stones?
If you had a kidney stone, how were you treated for it?
What does a doctor do for you if you have a kidney stone?
Is it Painful/constant: The pain is not constant. It will hit suddenly and severly.
Diagnosis, I think, was through a urine test/ CAT scan/ Ultra sound
Not sure about the age thing, but I am a very healthy 27 yr old Female who has had 2 occurances.
Treatment: Extreme pain killers, Dilaudid for me; Suppositories: The pain was so intensely excruciating that I could not stop vomiting.
My story ( I will try to be brief ):
Fell out of my chair at work with throbbing lower back pain. Told my boss I needed to go to the clinic when the pain subsided a bit. (I am so NOT a hypochondriac and I avoid docs till I am dying because I hate the cost and hassle) I had NO IDEA what was wrong but my the time I got to clinic, I was in the fetal position and writhing in the floor in front of 12 or so strangers.
Then came vomiting. I ran to bathroom and laid on that nasty wonderful cold floor and alternated puking and writhing. THERE IS NO COMFORTABLE POSITION when you are passing a stone. Sitting-no, laying-nope, standing-no way.
Then pain subsided abit. I explained to the doc, that I must have food poison but I feel better…then WHAM…PAIN IS BACK!!
I cried and vomited until they gave me a couple of shots.
( I hate needles more than anyone you know, and through my tears, I begged the nurse for another.)
After a CAT scan (read: $$$$) and weekly trips to the Urologist…I know keep that wonderful little pain pill (Dilauded) in my purse. It was my savior.
I dont EVER wish Kidney Stones on anyone. The pain is just unimaginable.
Kidney stones are usually very painful, and yes, the pain is pretty much constant. The pain is called renal colic
There are silent stones that are either small enough to pass without impacting the ureters or so large they stay in the kidney, taking the shape of the inner collection area, wh is reminicent of a hart’s horn, thus, they are called staghorn caculi
Diagnosis can include renal ultrasound, xrays with contrast, called IVP or intravenous pylogram, or CAT scan. Some stones can be diagnosed with a urine test looking for high levels of certain chemicals.
There are several types of stones, a picture is worth a thousand words.
Any age, although rare in children.
For small stones, antibiotics, serial urinalysis, straining the urine.
Mid sized stones can be treated with lithotrispy which uses sound waves to pulverize the stone so it may be passed.
Very large stone require surgery.
Speaking from my own experience:
A stone can sit in the kidney for some time without any symptons. My first was only discovered through a routine urine test where it was found to contain blood. An x-ray showed the stone in all its glory. I had no pain and all I had to do was have a yearly check to monitor it. When it starts to move down into the bladder that’s when it hurts, it’s really rather painful. Strong painkillers are a must and there is no position you can adopt to alleviate the pain. Medically they prefer you to pass the stone yourself if possible, but there are alternatives which I didn’t need (some stones are too large to pass through the ureter/urethra)
I had my first in my middle fifties. Everybody probably has a different story to tell and there have been quite a few threads about kidney stones on these boards